Washington: A US federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, ordering the administration to restore their access for 14 days.

US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the temporary restraining order early Thursday after hearing arguments over whether the three news organisations were unlawfully excluded from the White House. The outlets had challenged the ban, arguing that they were targeted because of the content of their reporting and that the move violated their First Amendment rights.

The ruling is the latest turn in an increasingly contentious dispute between Trump and news organisations whose coverage he has criticised.

Why did Trump ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico?

Trump announced the ban on September 18, accusing CNN, MS NOW and Politico of publishing what he described as “fake news.” He later linked his criticism of negative coverage to national security concerns.

The three outlets subsequently went to court, arguing that the administration had singled them out based on their reporting. Their lawsuit said the selective restriction amounted to viewpoint discrimination and violated the First Amendment's protection of freedom of the press.

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The administration has disputed that argument. Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued in court that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a right and defended the government's authority to restrict access.

The government also cited national security concerns in defending the ban. The administration's position was that the president should be able to take immediate action when such concerns arise.

Judge questions whether journalists were given due process

A central issue before Kelly was whether the administration followed the legal process required before revoking journalists' White House access.

During Wednesday's hearing, Kelly questioned whether CNN, MS NOW and Politico had been given an adequate opportunity to respond before their access was revoked. He pointed to earlier court rulings establishing that journalists are entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard before their White House press credentials are taken away.

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The judge ultimately found that the three outlets had met the legal requirements for a temporary restraining order, including showing a likelihood of success on their claims and a risk of irreparable harm without court intervention.

“This is a high bar, but Plaintiffs have met it,” Kelly wrote in his order.

The temporary order will remain in force for 14 days, preserving the outlets' access while the wider legal dispute moves forward.

Trump-appointed judge had handled a similar CNN case

Kelly was nominated to the federal bench by Trump in 2017. He also presided over a 2018 legal dispute involving CNN reporter Jim Acosta, when CNN challenged the administration's decision to revoke Acosta's White House press credentials. Kelly ordered the credentials restored at the time.

The latest case now places the judge at the centre of another dispute between the Trump administration and the news media, this time involving three major outlets.

With agency inputs